The Benefits of Carob as a Chocolate Alternative

Carob, a long, pod-like legume, serves as a nutrient-rich ingredient in a range of our products and should not be confused with chocolate, cacao or even cocoa. For those who love chocolate, the benefits of carob make it a great alternative and you can source locally in different forms like powder, as nibs/chips and as a flavouring.

What are the benefits of carob?

This legume is one healthy pod! It’s full of vitamin B, iron, magnesium, potassium, calcium and even selenium. It is also a source of protein, rich in fibre and plant based antioxidants, 24 polyphenol compounds to be exact.

The rich antioxidant profile helps fight free-radicals in the body, the fibre makes it gut-friendly, the calcium supports healthy bones and the other vitamins and minerals help protect and boost the immune system. You can’t really go wrong!

A healthy alternative to chocolate

If you’re in any way sensitive to chocolate or just looking for a change, carob is a great alternative for you! The key distinctions to note is that carob doesn’t contain the stimulants caffeine or theobromine found in chocolate. It also contains more calcium but other than that the two are relatively equal in good vs bad.

As with chocolate, make sure to check that there are no sneaky additives or sugars hidden on the ingredients list. Also try to buy organic where possible.

When Asa initially developed the Choco Rockets, she looked to carob for a deeper flavour:

“My initial thought was to reduce the bitterness from using only raw cacao and mixed it in with Mediterranean carob. Carob has loads of health benefits. It’s naturally sweet so it gave me a chance to reduce the amount of sweetener. I remembered from my raw cake classes how much the people loved the combination of maple syrup and carob (which is slightly mocha like). People love coffee and chocolate … that is what I believe makes the Choco Rockets so pleasing. A real ‘Two for One’!”